A Time to Embrace – Introduction
18 Jun
I’ve begun working through A Time to Embrace: Same-Gender Relationships in Religion, Law, and Politics by William Johnson this weekend so I thought I’d drop a few initial thoughts.
One hotly debated question is what percentage of the population would describe themselves as “gay.” Depending on the study this number has fluctuated wildly so Johnson tries to bring some clarity to the issue by noting the difference between identity, behavior, and desire. If your poll asks if people would identify themselves as gay or lesbian then the numbers are lower than if you ask if they’ve engaged in same gender sexual activity in the last twelve months. Johnson writes,
“In summary, when it comes to arguing numbers, there are misleading statements made on both sides of the debate. On the one hand, the idea that 10 percent of the population is “gay” is an urban legend: we now know that not that many people in the population at large are willing to identify themselves as gay or lesbian. On the other hand, the 10 percent figure is not completely off base: it is a fact that almost 10 percent of the population self-identify as something other than heterosexual; and it is also a fact that over 10 percent of the population (8.6 percent of men, 13.6 percent of women) claim some degree of sexual attraction to members of the same sex. And it is a fact that well over 8 percent of the population (6 percent of men, 11.2 of women) have at some time engaged in same-gender sexual behavior.”
What’s at stake in all of these numbers is that opponents of same gender relationships want to paint this as a wildly aberrant phenomena that few, if any people, really experience. The rarer it is the more we can simply write it off to a few folks expressing their rebellion against God. Of course, it’s another thing entirely when 10% of the people sitting in the pews would admit to having some level of attraction to members of the same sex.
Before the flood things had got to the point where it was noted in scripture God said the hearts and minds of men were continually evil, etc.
So we see there was a culmination of sin. Not doing the whole homosexuality is worse then them all thing. Just saying. The point that numbers achieves moral relevance makes secular but not biblical sense. In fact if what the Bible is clear about reaches continually and constant numbers that would be a negative sign.
So that is the way we see it in the Spirit through scripture, but Jesus gives us a hint of the way ‘the world’ sees it when he said ‘it will be as in the days of Noah’ and shows us that what ‘seems right’ was off.
Many of those saying it is a phenomenon are just scared of the moral decline, they may be fudging and slanting, but if the general historical scripture outlook is true can you blame them?
This embrace wave is gaining and will continue to gain, but the beginning of sorrows and entering into the great tribulation will change the dynamic very quickly. I wish you could see it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErRgJBK5MQA&feature=youtube_gdata_player
@Kyle: Simply replace “homosexuality” with “interracial marriage” in your argument and you get pretty much the same thing our grandparents said. I’m afraid you’re not breaking new ground there.
@Maegan: beautiful song. Love you girl.
Love you Brett!